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United States Patent |
6,242,022
|
Bertrand
,   et al.
|
June 5, 2001
|
Ice confectionery articles coated with particulate material flakes
Abstract
A confectionery article is coated by a fatty material, and cereal flakes
are positioned on and adhere to the fatty material coating, and
additionally, the cereal flakes may be coated also with a fatty material
coating. The article is prepared by applying a fatty material to a
plurality of surfaces of the ice confectionery article, cooling the
fatty-coated article to cool and solidify the fatty layer and keep the
fatty-coated article cold during solidification of the fatty layer, and
during cooling and prior to the fatty layer solidifying at its surface, so
that the fatty layer surface is tacky, applying cereal flakes on the tacky
fatty-coated surface to obtain a cooled article wherein the particulate
flakes adhere to the fatty layer and separating particulate material which
has not adhered to the fatty layer to obtain a cooled coated confectionery
article product.
Inventors:
|
Bertrand; Francis-Victor (Laversines, FR);
Mange; Christian (Beauvais, FR)
|
Assignee:
|
Nestec S.A. (Vevet, CH)
|
Appl. No.:
|
979749 |
Filed:
|
November 26, 1997 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
426/100; 426/101; 426/293 |
Intern'l Class: |
A23G 001/22; A23G 009/00 |
Field of Search: |
426/293,295,100,101
118/16,17,24
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2577433 | Dec., 1951 | Robb | 107/1.
|
3640243 | Feb., 1972 | Dill et al. | 118/24.
|
3752678 | Aug., 1973 | Jenkinson et al. | 99/136.
|
4189289 | Feb., 1980 | Getman | 425/93.
|
4199603 | Apr., 1980 | Sortwell | 426/92.
|
4224895 | Sep., 1980 | Launay | 118/16.
|
4447458 | May., 1984 | Roth et al. | 426/275.
|
4643905 | Feb., 1987 | Getman | 426/565.
|
4670270 | Jun., 1987 | Germino et al. | 426/89.
|
4762083 | Aug., 1988 | Wadell | 118/16.
|
4822627 | Apr., 1989 | Clegg et al. | 426/101.
|
5195454 | Mar., 1993 | Wadell | 118/16.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
2099276 | Dec., 1982 | GB.
| |
Other References
Database Abstract. Dialog. Foods Adlibra. Food Trade Review. p. 568.
Author: NA, Nov. 1985.*
Database Abstract. Dialog. Foods Adlibra. International New Product Report.
pp. 23 and 25. Author: NA, Jun. 1990.
|
Primary Examiner: Weier; Anthony J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vogt & O'Donnell, LLP
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No.
08/243,816 which was filed May 17, 1994 and which is now U.S. Pat. No.
5,798,131.
Claims
We claims:
1. A confectionery product of a process comprising applying a liquid fatty
material to a plurality of surfaces of a frozen confectionery article to
obtain article surfaces coated with a layer of the liquid fatty material,
cooling the fatty-coated article to cool and solidify the fatty layer and
keep the fatty-coated article cold during solidification of the fatty
layer, and during cooling and prior to the fatty layer solidifying at its
surface, so that the fatty layer surface is tacky, applying solid
particulate flakes, wherein the flakes consist essentially of cereal
ingredients and wherein the flakes are dry and susceptible to absorbing
moisture, on the tacky fatty-coated surface to obtain a cooled article
wherein the particulate flakes adhere to the fatty layer and separating
particulate material which has not adhered to the fatty layer to obtain a
cooled coated confectionery article product separated from the
non-adhering particulate material.
2. A product of a process wherein the process comprises the process of
claim 1 and further comprises applying a liquid fatty material on the
cooled coated confectionery product article to coat the flakes which
adhere to the fatty layer to obtain a cooled multi-layer-coated
confectionery article product.
3. A product according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the flakes comprise rice.
4. A product according to claim 3 wherein the flakes are toasted flakes.
5. A product according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the frozen confectionery
article is an ice cream and the fatty material is a chocolate-flavored
material.
6. A product according to claim 3 wherein the frozen confectionery article
is an ice cream and the fatty material is a chocolate-flavored material.
7. A product according to claim 4 wherein the frozen confectionery article
is an ice cream and the fatty material is a chocolate-flavored material.
8. A confectionery composition comprising a frozen ice confectionery
article, a fatty material coating positioned on the ice confectionery
article and particulate flakes, wherein the flakes consist essentially of
cereal ingredients and wherein the flakes are dry and susceptible to
absorbing moisture, positioned on the fatty material coating.
9. A composition according to claim 8 wherein the fatty material coating is
a first coating and further comprising a further coating of a fatty
material positioned so that the flakes are positioned between the first
and further coatings.
10. A composition according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the flakes comprise
rice.
11. A composition according to claim 10 wherein the flakes are toasted
flakes.
12. A composition according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the ice confectionery
article is an ice cream article and the fatty material is a
chocolate-flavored material.
13. A composition according to claim 10 wherein the ice confectionery
article is an ice cream article and the fatty material is a
chocolate-flavored material.
14. A composition according to claim 11 wherein the ice confectionery
article is an ice cream article and the fatty material is a
chocolate-flavored material.
15. A composition according to claim 9 wherein the article has six sides
and comprises 3 sides coated with the first fatty material coating and the
flakes and 5 sides coated with the further fatty material coating.
16. A product according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the flakes have a size
dimension of from 2 mm to 8 mm.
17. A product according to claim 3 wherein the flakes have a size dimension
of from 2 mm to 8 mm.
18. A composition according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the flakes have a size
dimension of from 2 mm to 8 mm.
19. A composition according to claim 10 wherein the flakes have a size
dimension of from 2 mm to 8 mm.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to production of articles of ice confectionery
coated with a dry particulate material, more particularly in the form of
flakes.
Articles of ice confectionery coated with solid articulate materials are
generally made by machines comprising a conveyor belt for the individual
ice portions, a feed hopper above the conveyor belt delivering a curtain
of particulate material through which the portions pass and an element for
recycling the particulate materials. The recycling element may be a bucket
elevator or a trough-equipped drum through which the conveyor belt passes,
as described for example in French Pat. No. 2 419 028 or U.S. Pat. No.
4,762,083. The use of moving parts to recycle the particles is not
compatible with the coating of brittle particles of a certain size such
as, for example, cereal flakes which have to be able to remain intact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem addressed by the present invention was to coat an ice portion
with a dry and brittle particulate material, more particularly cereal
flakes, in such a way that the portion would be completely covered with
particulate material over its upper surface and its sides and in such a
way that the particulate material would retain its shape and its
crispiness both in storage and on consumption.
The process according to the invention is characterized in that the frozen
ice portion is precoated at least over its upper surface and its sides
with a liquid fatty layer, in that the still soft fatty surface is
uniformly covered with particulate material by surrounding the ice portion
with a bed of solid particulate material, in that the articles to which
the solid particulate material has adhered are separated from the free
solid particulate material and in that the substantially intact
particulate material is recycled so that it may be reused.
The present invention further includes a confectionery article produced by
the process and also includes a machine for carrying out the process of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In this disclosure, the expression "substantially intact", as applied to
the particulate material, means that most of the particulate material has
remained intact and that any fines are eliminated, for example by means of
a sieve, before the particulate material is reused. An embodiment of the
process of the invention, therefor, is characterized in that before the
particulate material is recycled, it is freed from any fines present by
sieving. The operation by which the fines are separated is preferred
because their presence on the surface of the fatty layer could prevent the
particles from adhering which would result in an uneven coating.
One embodiment of the process according to the invention is characterized
in that the application of the particulate material on the fatty-coated
article is accompanied by cooling the fatty-coated article and wherein
during the cooling, the particulate material is applied prior to the
solidification of the fatty coating at its surface so that the surface is
tacky so that the particulate material adheres to the fatty coating
surface.
In one preferred embodiment, the portions and the particulate material are
coated with a liquid fatty layer so as to cover the upper surface, the
sides and the butt of the articles.
Thus, the particulate material is completely surrounded by a coating which
acts as a moisture barrier both with respect to the ice cream and with
respect to the surrounding environment.
The machine according to the invention is characterized in that it
comprises:
a unit for precoating the upper surface and sides of the ices portions with
a liquid fatty composition, a particle application unit comprising means
for forming a bed of particles surrounding the upper surface and the sides
of the ice portions coated with fatty composition and means for separating
and recirculating excess particles.
In one preferred embodiment, the machine according to the invention
additionally comprises a final coating unit for coating the ice portions
with a liquid fatty composition.
The invention is illustrated by the following detailed description of one
particular embodiment of the machine according to the invention and its
mode of operation given by way of example in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the machine.
FIG. 2 illustrates the particle application unit.
FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of an article of ice
confectionery obtained by one particular embodiment of the process
according to the invention.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
The machine according to the invention, as illustrated in the drawing
figures is an integral part of an installation comprising--upstream of the
machine--a horizontally circulating conveyor belt onto which is extruded a
continuous strand of ice confectionery which is frozen, for example in a
freezing tunnel, and then cut into portions. The portions are then taken
up by a conveyor belt circulating at a higher speed than the first
conveyor belt so that the portions are spaced. The temperature of the
portions is preferably -35.degree. C. or lower. These operations are
carried out conventionally and have not been illustrated.
Referring to FIG. 1, the precoating unit 1 comprises a feed hopper 2 for
liquid composition 3, for example a chocolate-flavoured coating,
thermostatically controlled to around 38.degree. C. by means of a heating
fluid, for example water circulating through a double wall of the hopper.
On leaving the hopper, the liquid 3 passes by gravity through an
adjustable slot 4 positioned radially in relation to the direction of
travel fl of the portions 5. As it leaves the slot, the liquid composition
is distributed into a curtain of chocolate-flavoured coating. The portions
5 are taken up by the lattice belt 6 and passed beneath the liquid curtain
of chocolate-flavoured coating discharged through the slot-like nozzle
where they are precoated on their upper surface and their sides. The
lattice belt 6 is kept under tension by the tension rollers 7 and cleaned
by the licking shaft 8 which preferably rotates in the opposite direction
to the direction of travel of the belt 6 and which is arranged on its
return level. A trough 9 collects the liquid coating which may be recycled
to the hopper 2, for example by means of a pump (not shown). On leaving
the precoating unit, the portions are transferred to the particle
application unit.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the particle application unit 10 comprises a
solid conveyor belt 11 which is designed to circulate horizontally from
left to right and which takes up the precoated portions. The belt 11 is
delimited by two vertical guides 12 on either side so that the belt and
the guides form a U-shaped channel. Arranged below and in contact with the
upper level of the belt 11 is a refrigeration table 13 thermostatically
controlled by a fluid, for example glycol-containing water, to a
temperature of approximately -20.degree. C. or lower. The function of the
table 13 is to solidify the small amount of liquid coating which drops
onto the belt and to keep the portions 5 cold. Above the belt 11, the unit
10 comprises a solid conveyor belt 14 which is designed to circulate
horizontally from right to left and which is provided with vertical guides
15 forming a U-shaped channel with the belt 14. The belt 14 could be
replaced by a vibrating chute. A hopper 16 is arranged between the belts
11 and 14. The hopper 16 comprises a flap 17 and a smooth roller 18 of
which the functions will be explained in detail hereinafter.
The unit 10 also comprises an elevator consisting of a vibrating screw 19.
The unit 10 further comprises a table 20 formed by self-cleaning rotating
rollers on which the leading edge is spaced from the trailing edge of the
belt 11, for example by a distance of 2 to 4 cm, which defines a dropping
space 21. Below the space 21 and the table 20, a perforated plate 22
acting as a sieve collects the particulate material which is directed
towards the vibrating screw 19. At the end of its return level, the belt
11 is scraped by means of blades 23. At an intermediate level, the
vibrating screw is fed with new particulate material by the hopper 24. A
blower 25 is arranged above the space 21.
In operation, particulate material 26 is discharged from the hopper 16 onto
and around the portions 5 transported by the belt 11. The portions 5 are
thus immersed in a bed of particulate material while their upper surfaces
and sides are precoated with chocolate-flavoured coating which is still
tacky, i.e. has not yet solidified at its surface. The amount of
particulate material discharged determines the thickness of the bed on the
belt 11, the desired thickness being of the order of 4 cm. The rate of
discharge is regulated by the more or less large opening of the flap 17
and the speed of rotation of the smooth roller 18 which rotates in the
direction of the arrow f2, i.e, in the direction of the rotating axes of
the belt 11. On leaving the belt 11, the particulate material which has
not adhered to the portions drops into the space 21 and through the
openings in the lattice belt 20 driven by the blower 25. The fines 27, if
any, formed by the breakage of the particles pass through the perforated
plate 22 acting as a sieve and are removed in the plate 28. The
particulate material intended to be recycled is elevated by the vibrating
screw 19 to the level of the belt 14. The remains scraped off by the
blades 23 are removed in the plate 29. To compensate for consumption and
losses, new particulate material is discharged from the hopper 24 into the
vibrating screw 19. At the top of the vibrating screw, the particulate
material is discharged through the hopper 30 onto the belt 14 and then
transported towards the hopper 16.
On leaving the application unit 10, the portions 5 are completely coated
over their upper surfaces and their sides with substantially intact
particulate material.
The particulate material may be selected from the dry and brittle
ingredients typically used as additions in confectionery and in chocolate
making, such as pieces of cooked sugar, nougatine, dried or preserved
fruits and expanded or extruded cereals, more particularly flakes, for
example of rice.
The process and machine according to the invention are advantageous in the
case of additions consisting of relatively brittle flat particles of a
certain size or any other particulate material of corresponding dimensions
and brittleness.
A particularly preferred particulate material consists, for example, of
flakes of rice in the form of cooked and toasted petals 2 to 8 mm in size
which are brittle and absorb moisture. This material is susceptible to
loss of crispiness through hygroscopy, a quality which is considered to be
crucial from the organoleptic point of view. It is for this reason that,
in one preferred embodiment of the process and machine according to the
invention, the portions are completely coated with a fatty composition
acting as a moisture barrier.
In this embodiment, the portions issuing from the application unit 10 are
transferred to the coating unit 31 (FIG. 1) for applying liquid fatty
composition, for example chocolate-flavoured coating, on the lattice belt
32. The belt 32 is driven and kept under tension by tension rollers 33 and
cleaned along its return level by the licking shaft 34. The coating
composition 35, for example a chocolate-flavoured coating at approximately
35.degree. C., is applied in the form of a curtain from the
thermostatically controlled hopper 36 to the upper surface and the sides
of the portions in the same way as for the precoating unit 1, the coating
is spread and excess coating is removed by means of the blower 37. The
unit 31 also comprises scraped rollers 38 both rotating in the same
direction of which the function is to form and maintain a wave of
chocolate-flavoured coating which enables a butt of coating to be applied.
On leaving the unit 31, the coated portions are conducted towards a cooling
station and packing station, for example of the "flow-pack" type (not
shown).
In the interests of simplicity, the production of articles in the shape of
bars arranged in a line has been schematically illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. However, the process and machine according to the
invention may of course also be used in the same way for treating
individual articles differing in shape, such as "bite-size" articles for
example. The portions may be arranged in rows in several lines.
The machine according to the invention is of course controlled by a
programmable automatic control unit which drives the various conveyor
belts in synchronism with one another, with the elements for distributing
the coating materials and with the upstream extrusion, cooling and cutting
stations and the downstream cooling and wrapping stations.
The article capable of being produced by the process and the machine
according to the invention, which is illustrated in FIG. 3, comprises a
co-extruded core of ice cream flavoured with vanilla 39 and caramel 40
coated with toasted flakes of rice 41 between two layers of milk chocolate
42 and 43 on its upper surface and its sides and a butt of milk chocolate
flavoured coating 44.
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